Electrical switch mechanism



April 14, 1925. 1,533,699

A. 0. DAY

ELECTRICAL swmcu MECHANISM Filed Feb. 14, 19,25

5 Hmmuum, 5 3 '23 35 52 5 ALFRED CARLYLE DA INVENTOR l,533,6tlll ALFRED CAE-tLYLE DAY, 01? I'J'IELBGURNE, VIOTORZA, AUSTRALIA ELECTRICAL S'VI'ITGH ll EECHANISFI.

Application filed February 1923. Serial 1m erases.

residing at 8 lirights Lane, lvifeli e, in the if; ate of Victoria, Connnon wealth of l-iustralia, have invented certain new and useful 7 i'iproveinents in Electrical Switch ll' echanisins; and I do hereby declare the following to be a lull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as enable others slzilledin the art to which it uppers-sins to make and use the This invention relates to the use of a primary or electric l' ll switch, and of H in series with or utidzing (except at the Fulfil switch) its circuit a subsidiary circuit having any required switch, so that priinr 'y switch circuit is opened, liary circuit automatically coines into o,.ratio11 or becomes ready to be closed. "be primary switch will often be a wall switch. I provide for it a casing which houses subsidiary circuit inechanisin.

'lhe subsidiary circuit devices include eerie; roke, or 'stance devices, for din 111i f nip or lainps provided; or such cir will carry a pilot ligl'it, thermostat,

testing points, and so on as found desirable. The coi truction I use is variable as to details; its essentials are however made clear by the aid of the accon'ip-ai'lying drawwhich indicate examples of what is rront cut away to exhibit interior.

Figure Figure 1.

Figure l- 1 to 3.

Figure 5 shows a modification of Figure 1, the primary switch being of rotary (instead of tumbler) type.

Figure 6 shows part of Figure 5, with part of the casing front cut away to exhibit the interior. 7

Figure 7 is a side sectional elevation of Figure 5.

Figure 8 is is a side sectional elevation of to i is a wiring diagram of Figures a wiring diagram of Figures r igure 9 shows, diagrammatically, a transerse section through Figure '7 in plan View.

the casing Figure 10 is a front elevation of a modiomitted from various figures, but will be well understood.

Insulating material used will be heat resisting to suit the electric currents and wiring.

1 is a casing having fastening means as flange 2 with holes 3. This casing is fixable on any suitable support, and contains a space l "for a primary or electric'light switch, another space for subsidiary circuit mechanism, and a space 6 for switch devices of the latter. compactness which is in many cases important, but my invention is not limited to providing compactness, although the use of promotes economy and time sav- The casing has an aperture 7 through which projects, or is accessible, a control member, 8, of the light switch 9. The casing has another aperture through which projects, or is accessible, the control incinber, 11, or the subsidiary circuit switch. I provide when desirable, a protective plate 12 at the casing back, as in Figure 3. The casing will be, for ventilation purposes, provided with louvres 0r openings, soine only being illustrated at 1*, Within the casing, insulated therefrom when the latter is of inetal, are two electric conductors, shown as spring lingers 13, ends of which are shaped to suit the primary switch, that is the tumbler switch, of Figures 1 to 3, or the rotary switch, of Figures 5 to 7. These conductors extend from terminals 14-. of'switch 9, to terminals 15 of the subsidiary circuit.

These conductors are, in Figures 7 9, and 11, attached to an insulating plate 16, which is fixed to the casing at 17, and is apertured for wiring at 18; Wires of the subsidiary circuit pass through aperture 18, but are omitted in Figure 7 they extend through an insulating plate or base 19 to the contact points hereinafter mentioned.

The subsidiary switch control member or knob 11, of insulating material, carries an' These spaces ensure An existing light switch casing could be removed to allow of adding my mechanism and using my method of circuit control.

Fingers 18 would be located contacting with the terminals l t and the switch control means 8 would project at 7.

In Figures 3, at, 7, and 8, a rotary switch bar 37 is provided to control the circuits, its setting means being the knob 11.

The series-choke device (Figure 3) contains magnet elements 21 (having winding 22) and magnet elements .23, and insulating material 2%, the latter constituting a base carrying a series of contacts A, I C, i E. The conductors 13 are connected to (or are formed having) contacts A and B respectively; one lead 25 of winding 22 is connected to contact B, and the other lead 2 3 to contact E, tap wires 27 and 28 being connected to the contacts C and 1) respectively.

In Figure 8 the resistance elements have wires 29, 30, 81, each on an insulating strip (Figures 7 and 9) 82 having recesses or indented edges 33, the wires being set in the recesses and protected each by a folded housing 84 of mica or like insulating material, secured as by clips on cheeks (see Figure 9) lined to the casing. The resistances are connected in series by leads. The lead is connected to contact 13, and

the lead 26 to contact 11; tap wire 27 is connected to contact C and tap wire 28 to contact D. The contacts are upon an insulating base 19.

As it contributes to safety, I locate resistance elements obliquely or vertically with air space around each so that heat they generate will escape upwardly, and out of the casing at the back or through its ventilation apertures.

I also provide in the casing a heat defleeting asbestos partition (Figure 'T) which is in some cases faced with mica For brevity the subsidiary circuit may be said to be oaen, whore technically it would be described as short circuited by closing the primary circuit at l t.

When the prin'iary circuit is closet it supplies the easiest path for the electric current, which then leaves the SUlJSlCllill'f, circuit inoperative; when any subsidiary circuit is energized, part all of the primary circuit will still be utilized and tans lainp 42 would be made to yield instead oi a lull light a dimmed one according to the subsidiary elements used by positioning switcl bar 37, 'arious degrees oi dinnning being at will produced.

I claim In electrical switch mechanism in combination a chamber casing having a front which is closed except tor two spaced openings, the material around each opening being raised to accon'nnodate projecting portions ot the mechanism, a primary switch located in said casing and a portion thereof extending through one or said openings, subsidiary circuit mechanism also located within said' casing and a portion thereof projecting into the raised portion and through said other opening, an insulating support overlying the latter inentioned raised portion on the inside or the casing, and spring contact lingers carried by the insulating support and adapted to co-operatively co-act with said primary switch and said subsidiary circuit mechanism.

in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ALFRED CA ZLYLE DAY. lVitness:

Gnonen G. Tuner. 

